It was a beautiful day, what appeared to be a super fun course, and a big crowd.
Which is why I’m especially frustrated at my absolutely SHITTY race. Followed by an equally shitty attitude.
I started out strong, was acheiving all my goals of staying with the group… and then some girl biffed it on a technical section and I ran right into her rear wheel. It seems like something got fucked up in my cleat or my pedal because I was having some serious trouble getting in and out of my pedal. Which showed itself at the barriers where my cleat did NOT come out and I went down. I kept going furiously, trying to catch up… then in a gravely section I totally ate it, trying to take in inside line to pass someone, and that pretty much did me in. I soft pedaled a lap hoping my knee would stop hurting, then pulled out.
The medic got to scrape gravel out of my leg, and my knee and hand are banged up, but nothing too major. I’m really, really frustrated. I think I could have ROCKED this course, but there was little room to pass, and it was highly technical which meant it was made a billion times more technical trying to avoid people eating it left and right.
The worst part is that I gave up, and then I was not a very good sport about it. Blaaaah. I think what I’m really upset about is that I thought I could finally prove that I deserve to be in the As–that I can actually be in the pack and not off the back. I really bummed right now and kind of hating cross. So if I’m a poopy-face about it, sorry, but I’m feeling sorry for myself right now. The only thing keeping me going is the fact that I already paid for the season so I’m stuck. Pretty shitty reason to race, isn’t it? I’m sure I’ll feel somewhat better about it in a few days, but what can I say? I’m a competitive person, and I always want to go 100%.
I’ll be looking for some renewed inspiration this week. I wish there were some mid-week races I could do to build up some confidence, right now it’s drunk and passed out in the gutter and some homeless guy’s pissing on it. I think I need a single speed, that seems like so much more fun for some reason.
Hey, buck up! Everyone has races where shit happens but just wait until it all goes right and you’ll be right there…think about it if you have a good race you’d be able to compete with the As not many women can say that…you’ve already won in most crossers minds with that alone.
Ditto the above. Hey, you’re in A’s. It is supposed to be difficult and have less room for error. Otherwise, I would be in A’s. Or Maybe B’s. Maybe I am just lucky to be in Master C’s…anyway.
Sorry about the knee. Last year there is a guy I know that swallowed a bee that stung him on the inside the back of his mouth while racing. That took him out of the race. Crazy stuff seems to happen during a cross race. That race was easy to get sideways on.
You could always go down to Salem for one the races down there on a Saturday. I am hoping to do Psycho Cross Saturday. You could race SS or whatever. Smaller field, less pressure…